Author: Ryan Beallis | Major: Biology and Criminology
The month I spent in Belize was one of the most memorable times of my entire life, and I am extremely grateful to have been given the opportunity to participate in this study abroad program. The trip was filled with ups, downs, and everything in between, and I believe I have come out of it with a different perspective on other cultures.
I chose a service-learning study abroad program because I did not want my first experience in a foreign country to be defined by sitting in a classroom and studying for exams. Nor did I want to be surrounded by tourists. From January until May I studied nearly every day for the MCAT, and I was ready for a change of pace. This program provided a unique opportunity to learn outside of the classroom while also having a meaningful impact on the community I stayed in. In addition to being unlike any other class I have taken, this program has allowed me the opportunity to reflect on my motivations for pursuing a career as a physician. We spent over 100 hours working under the intense summer sun building chicken coops, garden beds, and a greenhouse that will help feed schoolchildren who otherwise might go hungry. On one of the last days we spent in Dangriga there was a ribbon cutting ceremony to celebrate the completion of our projects. It was at this time that I did not care about the dozens of bug bites covering my body, nor the constant exhaustion from the heat, nor the various cuts and bruises from being an inexperienced builder. When I heard the principal of St. Matthew’s Anglican School talk about the difference our work was going to have on the lives of so many children, I no longer had any doubt that I wanted to be a doctor. The satisfaction in knowing that through my own hard work I can change the lives of potentially dozens of people in such a short time gives me hope that I will be satisfied practicing medicine. I have had much doubt in the past couple of years about my career, but this study abroad experience has given me the confidence I need to apply to medical school later this summer.
Being a service-learning study abroad, the relationship I formed with the faculty members was unique. I witnessed a much more raw, unrehearsed version of them that was refreshing. It allowed me to realize that they are completely fallible, just like me, and their mistakes are not what defined them, but how they responded to those mistakes. For those four weeks, I felt like an equal to people with decades of experience, and my ideas were not overlooked.
Beyond the day-to-day work at the school, I also got to experience an authentic version of Dangriga that could not be replicated through vacation. The length of the study abroad allowed us to explore most of the restaurants and stores within walking distance, and it also allowed us to form relationships with people that lived there. Servers at restaurants we frequented knew us by name, and people on the street knew our faces and would say hello. In addition to exploring Dangriga, we visited the nearby town of Hopkins and the nearby Mayflower Bocawina National Park—Bocawina for short. Our adventures in Bocawina led us to two different waterfalls and a swimming hole with some small cliffs to jump off. The hike through the rain forest to get there proved to be incredibly challenging; however, the destination was well worth it. Other memorable moments included hiking deep into a cave to visit Mayan human sacrifices and swimming with sharks and stingrays in the second largest coral reef in the world.
After completing this study abroad program and having had time to adjust back to life in Arkansas, I have come to appreciate all the unique opportunities I have been given. I would recommend this program to students who do not feel satisfied with the typical classroom environment or those who just need a break from it. The work was certainly hard, but the payoff at the end made it all worthwhile. I came into this program with very little expectations on how it would turn out, and it made every day feel like a little adventure. I would advise a student considering going on this program to keep an open mind and jump feet first into any opportunities that sound even remotely interesting.